The War on Drugs

Introducing: The War on Drugs Jan 18, 2023

In 1971, President Nixon declared drug abuse ‘public enemy number one’— the first salvo in America’s War on Drugs. Fifty years later, with drug overdoses in the US at a record high, are we any closer to ‘victory’? The War on Drugs has a more profound effect on society than any of us really understands. It is embedded in the fabric of our culture and permeates our daily lives in visible and invisible ways – perhaps the most daunting pandemic we face.

Lava for Good’s The War on Drugs podcast, co-hosted by comedian Clayton English and Greg Glod, senior criminal justice fellow at Americans for Prosperity, examines the true cost of five decades of policy, policing, and persecution. Special guests, including diverse subject matter experts, peel back the surface of this complicated period of US history, showing the ways the War on Drugs has fueled over incarceration, exacerbated addiction and hampered economic progress. By shining a spotlight on how our communities have crumbled under the weight of this so-called ‘war,’ we can explore the politicization of public health policy, institutional racism and classism in the legislation and administration of criminal law, and how decriminalization and other alternatives could bring the fruitless ‘war’ to an end.

The War on Drugs will be available every Wednesday beginning January 25 wherever you get your podcasts.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

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The Origin Story (it’s worse than you think) Jan 25, 2023

Our co-hosts Clayton English and Greg Glod, along with guest Johann Hari discuss the long-forgotten mastermind behind America’s War on Drugs: Harry Anslinger - the infamous head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics toward the end of Prohibition. Desperate to justify his agency, and secure funding from Congress, Anslinger, by all accounts a virulent racist, fabricated stories about the dangers of drugs by demonizing minority communities four decades before Richard Nixon's declaration of war on drugs.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandatory Minimums, Maximum Damage Jan 25, 2023

In the wake of college basketball star Len Bias’s death from a cocaine overdose, Congressional Democrats sought to retake the Senate by portraying themselves as tough on drugs. What resulted was one of the most destructive pieces of legislation in the entire history of the War on Drugs, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act. Among its key provisions was the introduction of federal mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses. The result was generations of men and women, disproportionately from minority communities, lost to over incarceration.

Clayton and Greg talk with Eric Sterling, the special counsel to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary from 1979-1989, who helped write the mandatory minimum sentencing laws that were part of the legislation. Clayton and Greg also talk with Eric about a little-known figure in the War on Drugs, a D.C. police officer who served as a chief investigator for Congress before he was discredited for perjuring himself hundreds of times as a government witness.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
AND PARTICIPATE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eric André’s Actual Bad Trip Feb 01, 2023

Clayton and Greg are joined by comedian and activist Eric André. In October 2022, Clayton and Eric sued the Clayton County Georgia Police Department (CCPD) and district attorney's office for being racially profiled, separately, at the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport. Clayton and Eric speak to the anger and humiliation of being stopped on the jet bridge of their plane as they were boarding. But their lawsuit uncovered something neither expected, the CCPD seized more than $1 million from travelers even though they found no illegal drugs on them and the travelers were never charged with a crime. The CCPD relied on a constitutionally suspect practice known as Civil Asset Forfeiture.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.policingproject.org

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 1 | The Trillion Dollar War Jan 30, 2023

Clayton and Greg chat with Jason Flom, CEO of Lava Media and host of the Wrongful Conviction podcast about the enormous amount of money spent on the War on Drugs.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High Time We Rethink Old Weed Convictions Feb 08, 2023

Clayton and Greg sit down with Natalie Papillion from the Last Prisoner Project and talk about how thousands of people are still unjustly incarcerated for the simple crime of marijuana possession—a startling fact given that many states have since legalized the plant. Even more shocking is the fact that many of the people who wrote or enforced America’s drug laws are now making millions of dollars in the cannabis industry while thousands rot in jail serving lengthy prison terms for cannabis possession. Among them is Edwin Rubis, who is serving a 35-year prison term in a federal prison in Talladega, GA for conspiracy to distribute 2200 pounds of marijuana even though no drugs or money were ever found by police. Edwin’s release date is not until 2032.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.lastprisonerproject.org

https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/fathers-day-in-the-slammer

Edwin Rubis: edwinrubis@aol.com

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 3 | A Drug Sniffing Dolphin? Feb 13, 2023

Eric André and the crew challenge the accuracy of drug sniffing dogs.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 2 | It's Not Gonna Make a Difference Feb 06, 2023

Eric Sterling tells Clayton and Greg about the futility in how the War on Drugs is being waged in South America.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

El Cerebro and the Deadly Rise of Fentanyl Feb 15, 2023

Sam Quinones, bestselling author of The Least of Us, tells Clayton and Greg the harrowing story of how one man known as el Cerebro (the Brain) introduced the Sinaloa Drug cartel to fentanyl in 2005. The cartel’s discovery of synthetic opioids forever changed the illicit drug market and sparked a crisis that has contributed to over 100,000 deaths a year in the United States alone.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 4 | Weed Cares About You Feb 20, 2023

The Biden administration pardons those convicted of possession of marijuana at the federal level.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The War At Your Door: No Knock Warrants Feb 22, 2023

The War on Drugs killed Breonna Taylor. Clayton and Greg sit down with journalist Radley Balko to talk about how the War on Drugs has steadily eroded our Constitutional rights and led to the militarization of the police. They zero in on the practice of no-knock warrants and discuss how deadly and unnecessary they are. Special attention is paid to the case of Breonna Taylor and how she was a tragic and innocent victim of America’s decade-long War on Drugs.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

Radley Balko’s The Watch: https://radleybalko.substack.com

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

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Quick Fix 5 | Fears and Fiends Feb 27, 2023

Clayton and Greg dispel the myth that if fentanyl touches your skin, you die.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctor or Dealer? The Criminalization of Pain Meds Mar 01, 2023

Clayton and Greg are joined by New York Times columnist Maia Szalavitz to discuss one of the least talked about consequences of the War on Drugs: the criminalization of pain. Millions of Americans have been cut off from the pain medications they need to survive (including terminal cancer patients) as the United States tries to stem the tide of the opioid epidemic. Doctors who treat patients with chronic pain are finding themselves being labeled by the DEA as drug traffickers. The CDC has set guidelines for pain management that has left thousands of Americans without the medications they need. The results have been as horrifying as the opioid crisis these policies were meant to address—another clear example of the systemic failure of the War on Drugs.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 6 | They Had the Wrong House Mar 06, 2023

Greg tells Clayton about the time the police in Henry Country, GA served a No Knock Warrant to the wrong house and violated the civil liberties of a 79 year old innocent man.

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The PTSD Cure Veterans Can’t Get Mar 08, 2023

Jesse Gould graduated from Cornell University in 2009 and shortly thereafter, driven by a sense of duty and patriotism, enlisted in the Airborne Rangers. He returned home in 2014 from three tours in Afghanistan only to find himself with debilitating PTSD. After finding that none of the traditional treatments offered by the VA helped his PTSD, Jesse quit his job in finance, sold all his belongings, and took off for Peru where he underwent a traditional ayahuasca healing ritual. The experience was transformative. Jesse now heads the Heroic Hearts Foundation that helps veterans who are suffering from PTSD find the psychedelic treatment they need to heal. Jesse talks with Clayton and Greg about his personal journey and how psychedelics, long demonized by the War on Drugs, are now being seen by the medical community as a possible key to helping solve our veteran health crisis.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://www.heroicheartsproject.org

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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 7 | Your Home, Your Healthcare Records, Your Privacy Mar 13, 2023

Clayton and Greg explain how the War on Drugs allows law enforcement to examine your medical records without a warrant.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychedelics: Party Drugs or Therapeutics? Mar 15, 2023

MDMA therapy gained a following among psychiatrists in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some psychiatrists believed that it allowed their patients to achieve unique insights into their mental health problems. It was also during this time that MDMA started becoming more widely available on the street. It gained a foothold as a ‘party drug' under the names Ecstasy and Molly. Then, in 1985, the DEA declared an emergency ban on MDMA, placing it on the list of Schedule I drugs, meaning it had no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Today, guided MDMA therapy is on the verge of being approved by the FDA. This revolution in therapeutic treatment, mostly of PTSD, is largely because of the decades-long effort of one organization: MAPS (short for Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). Clayton and Greg are joined by Ismael Ali, Director of Policy and Advocacy at MAPS to discuss the science and history of MDMA therapy.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

MAPS: https://maps.org

MAPS Clinical Trials: https://maps.org/take-action/participate-in-trial/

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quick Fix 8 | What Do Solutions Look Like? Mar 20, 2023

Johann Hari tells Clayton and Greg how Portugal kicked its heroin habit.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
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The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Addict’s Journey Mar 22, 2023

Season One of The War on Drugs concludes with the story of a single addict’s journey, Morgan Godvin. Her story illustrates the disastrous consequences of America’s decision to treat addiction as a crime. Morgan spent five years addicted to heroin and four years incarcerated as a direct result of her addiction. She lost her mom and four close friends to overdose. And yet, Morgan’s story is ultimately one of hope—one that takes her from addiction to advocacy. Told by Morgan herself and set in an immersive audio soundscape, Morgan’s journey lays bare how our nation’s 50-year War on Drugs has destroyed millions of lives. It also suggests a better path forward where solutions to America’s overdose crisis are not found by punishing those in need of help, but in harm reduction policies that treat addiction as the medical and mental health crisis it is.

To learn more, visit:

https://www.morgangodvin.com

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE PART IN OUR LISTENER SURVEY. YOUR FEEDBACK WILL HELP INFORM HOW WE MAKE PODCASTS IN THE FUTURE. AND YOUR COMPLETE AND CANDID ANSWERS WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UNPARALLELED ACCESS AND INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA. SO PLEASE GO TO LAVAFORGOOD.COM/SURVEY
AND PARTICIPATE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lava for Good Live: The War on Drugs - Did Anyone Win? Jun 21, 2023

In this special episode of the War on Drugs, Clayton English and Greg Glod are live on stage with some of the top names in podcasting, including Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown from Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know, Gilbert King from Bone Valley, and Jason Flom from Wrongful Conviction to discuss the intersection of the War on Drugs and wrongful convictions.

Recorded Live at iHeart Media in Atlanta, GA, on April 26th, 2023

Featuring hosts from:

Bone Valley

Stuff They Don't Want You to Know

The War on Drugs

Wrongful Conviction

To see photos and a video of the entire event, go to:

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/s1e11-lava-for-good-live-the-war-on-drugs-did-anyone-win/

This event is the first of an ongoing series of recorded discussions from Lava for Good aimed at amplifying the voices behind Podcasts of Purpose.

To hear all Lava for Good podcast episodes one week early and ad-free, subscribe to Lava for Good+ on Apple Podcasts. All Lava for Good+ subscribers enjoy early access and ad-free episodes from Bone Valley, Wrongful Conviction, The War on Drugs and all other Lava for Good podcasts on Apple Podcasts.

Please click here to take part in our listener survey. Your feedback will help inform how we make podcasts in the future. Complete and candid answers will help us continue to bring you unparalleled access and insight into the heart of social justice in America. So please go to lavaforgood.com/survey and participate today. Thank you for your support.

To learn more, go to:

Stand Together - https://standtogether.org/issues/criminal-justice-reform/

Stand Together Blog - https://standtogether.org/news/criminal-justice-podcasts-discuss-pressing-issues/

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonus Episode | Melissa Etheridge on the Therapeutic Benefits of Psychedelics Jul 12, 2023

In this special episode, Grammy and Oscar award winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge joins our hosts Clayton English and Greg Glod for a personal and thought-provoking conversation about advances in plant-based medicine in treating conditions such as depression, PTSD, opioid withdrawal, and addiction.

To learn more, visit:

https://www.etheridgefoundation.org/

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#375 Guest Hosts Clayton English and Greg Glod with Louie Garcia Jul 13, 2023

On August 10, 2017, police executed a search warrant at a home in San Antonio, TX and found nearly three pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a bathroom. Upon this discovery, police arrested 45-year-old Louie Garcia and two other individuals. It turns out that the search warrant stemmed from the word of a confidential informant, and nothing else. Further, upon their arrest, Louie and his co-defendants urged that they had been framed. Shortly before the police arrived, a man had stopped at the house with a young girl. They asked to use the bathroom, and then left. When the police did arrive, the officers immediately went up to the bathroom, where they found the drugs. Their claims fell on deaf ears, and Louie was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Greg Glod and Clayton English talk to Louie Garcia and Dayna Jones, Louie's attorney.

To learn more and get involved, visit:

https://lavaforgood.com/podcast/s1e6-the-war-at-your-door-no-knock-warrants/

Wrongful Conviction is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing: The War on Drugs Season 2 Mar 11, 2025

Welcome to season two of The War on Drugs podcast, co-hosted by comedian Clayton English and Greg Glod, advisor to Stand Together on Criminal Justice and Drug Reform. This season, we’re bringing you real stories from real people—artists, athletes, and influencers like B-Real, Marcus King, Ricky Williams, John Osborne, and many others who lived the impacts of the War on Drugs firsthand. We’ll explore how drug policy isn’t just a political issue—it’s personal. We’ll talk about pain management, mental health, overcoming addiction, entrepreneurship, and the fight for personal freedom. The War on Drugs isn’t over. And the stories we share this season prove it.

The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday beginning March 18 wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories Matter Mar 18, 2025

Greg and Clayton welcome you back to The War on Drugs Podcast with “Stories Matter.” This Season, you will hear notable voices from across the cultural spectrum on their personal, lived experience, and how the failures of the War on Drugs policy continue to affect people’s lives, even as progress is made at the local level.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Media Got It Wrong feat. Ricky Williams Mar 18, 2025

For years, the headline was: “Heisman Trophy winner and NFL All-Pro running back Ricky Williams quit the NFL to smoke weed.” The real story? Much deeper. Cannabis helped Ricky manage pain, both physical and mental, in ways the media and the sports world didn't understand in 2004. Now that the NFL has progressed significantly on cannabis policy, Ricky reflects on the cost of systems that punish people for making their own health choices. What happens when we stop treating all substances like one-size-fits-all dangers? And how much potential—on the field, in the workplace, in life—is held back when those closest to a problem aren't in control of the solution?

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Access to Medicine feat. Liz Carmouche Mar 25, 2025

The champion MMA fighter and Marine Corps veteran is no stranger to pain - both dishing it out and taking it. Hear her take on the ongoing War on Drugs, and what the lack of coherent federal policy means for our community of Veterans, athletes and others dealing with high-level pain management - how she has found positive results managing her own pain with CBD, to the point where her brain scans show a marked drop-off in inflammation since her use of cannabinoids, and even recovered from surgery without any use of traditional pharmaceutical painkillers. Meanwhile the VA, taking its cues from the Federal policy, is not even allowed to discuss these alternate treatments with its patients, often forcing Veterans down the path of pharmaceuticals with the risk of addiction and other consequences.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

Veteran suicide remains a serious issue. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 17.6 veterans die by suicide each day. Source: VA News

CBD exists in a legal gray area. The FDA has not approved CBD for general medical use and many states heavily restrict or even ban CBD products - including those that can't get you high. Source: PBS News

Studies show that veterans are at higher risk of opioid overdose compared to the general population. This underscores the urgent need for safer pain management alternatives. Relevant studies: Saving Lives: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Rapid Naloxone Initiative; Changing Trends in Opioid Overdose Deaths and Prescription Opioid Receipt Among Veterans; VA Fact Sheet (CSPEAR) on Opioid Use Disorder

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), prescription medications including painkillers, are provided to eligible veterans at low or no costs. Meanwhile, CBD products are not covered by VA healthcare and must be paid for out-of-pocket. Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; VA Copay Rates

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mental Health, Finding Sobriety, and the Power of Community. feat. Marcus King Apr 01, 2025

Marcus King grew up in Greenville, SC, watching people around him get written off—criminalized instead of helped, cast aside instead of supported. His own story could have gone the same way. Instead, music, finding sobriety, and building supportive community saved him. In this episode, Marcus talks about his journey to sobriety, the shifting cultural conversation around addiction, and why meeting people where they are—without stigma or judgment—is the key to real change.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Business of Big Cannabis feat. B-Real Apr 08, 2025

Lead MC of the legendary Cypress Hill, B-Real grew up in LA at the height of the drug war, initially on the street hustling side of things. Music took him out of that life, but when California began to legalize in 2016 B-Real got back into the game on the legitimate side. He found however what many early-adopting entrepreneurs are finding - the Federal ban means you can’t use the banking system, and when you try and expand state to state you’re faced with a byzantine maze of conflicting regulations. What all this means is that the people that were formerly operating outside the system - are finding that operating inside the system is something of a dead end. B-Real’s companies employ hundreds of people in California, and could do so for thousands nationwide. But small operations like his can’t afford the regulatory navigation, so are increasingly losing market share to bigger institutional players, or worse, being driven right back into the black market.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.
The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

Additional Notes:
Because of federal restrictions, most banks won’t work with cannabis businesses, forcing them to operate almost entirely in cash. This makes them easy targets for crime and creates huge financial challenges. Reforms are needed so legal businesses can use banks like any other industry— reducing crime, improving oversight, and keeping the public safer. To learn more, click here.

High taxes, complex regulations, and expensive licensing don’t just hurt legal cannabis businesses—they push consumers back into the black market. When legal products are too expensive or difficult to access, unregulated sales grow, putting people at greater risk from unsafe products and criminal activity. To learn more, click here.

The podcast, its co-hosts, and its sponsors do not endorse or promote any specific products or companies discussed during the episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Permission to Change Your Mind feat. John Osborne Apr 15, 2025

Grammy-winning musician John Osborne never imagined he’d turn to psychedelics. But when he went through a mental health breakdown, they saved his life. A skeptic turned advocate, John shares how psilocybin therapy helped him recover from deep depression, persistent anxiety, and more. With research continuing to demonstrate that psychedelics may offer a powerful treatment option for many, why are they still illegal? And how many lives could be saved if we let science and new research shape our drug policies?

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

Additional notes:
To find more information about psychedelics and the evidence-based approaches used to treat various mental health conditions, visit the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) website. LINK

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fighting Off Pain feat. Riley Cote Apr 22, 2025

Like Episode 3 guest Liz Carmouche, former NHL enforcer Riley Cote knows something about pain. And also about the problematic cycles of machismo and stigma that can prevent people from seeking out certain paths to treatment and remedy. Riley overcame those obstacles in his own life, finding success in pain management and mental stability with cannabis and other alternative treatments. He now advocates for others like him to have access to these medicines, and avoid the paths to alcohol / opioid addiction, depression, and even suicide he has witnessed far too many times among his peers.

A new episode of The War on Drugs will be available every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts.

The War on Drugs is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts and Stand Together Music in association with Signal Co. No1.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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